Deeper Reflection
VERSE 20 IS SOMETIMES USED FOR GOSPEL INVITATIONS in evangelistic messages. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Based on these words, the preacher would paint a picture of the Lord Jesus standing outside the door of your heart, knocking and waiting for you to let him come in. If you open the door, He will come in to dine with you and, indeed, live in your heart forever. Thus begins the new convert’s new life through faith in Christ.Yet in the original context, the Lord Jesus was addressing the church in Laodicea and His words were directed to believers, not unbelievers. The Laodicean Christians were materially rich, prosperous and self-sufficient, but unaware of their spiritual poverty, blindness and nakedness (v.17). Their useless outward religiosity (“lukewarm,…neither hot nor cold”, v.16) so repulsed the Lord that He wanted to spit them out of His mouth (vv.15-16).⁴² Why then did Jesus stand at their door and knock to seek entry? First, He loves them. The preceding verse 19 says, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.” Second, Jesus wanted them to experience spiritual restoration through repentance (vv.18-19). Today, the Lord gives His counsel and invitation to us. Are we willing to open the doors of our hearts to Jesus, to accept His loving reproof and discipline, and to repent of any lukewarmness in our discipleship? If so, Jesus will come in and lovingly restore us from the inside out.

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⁴² “The waters of the nearby Lycus River were muddy and undrinkable, and the waters flowing by aqueduct from hot springs 5 miles (8 km) away were lukewarm when they reached Laodicea. Likewise, Jesus found His church’s tepid indifference repugnant. Cold and hot water represents something positive, for cold water refreshes in the heat, and hot water is a tonic when one is chilly.”: ESV Study Bible.